At social gatherings patrons desire drinks. Usually, preparation and distribution of the drinks is accomplished by a bartender mixing and serving the drinks. Depending on the scenario, the process of obtaining the drink can be frustrating for the patron for several reasons. First, the drink area may be too busy or lightly staffed, making it difficult to order and obtain the drink. Second, the bartender may be slow, or unfamiliar with the type of drink the patron desires. Finally, the bartender could measure the quantities of ingredients incorrectly. The owner of the establishment can also become frustrated if the particular bartender is poorly trained and wastes the drinks, or works at a slower pace because this directly affects profit margins. If the event is hosted at a private location like a home or professional meeting space, those issues can be more compounded. The host must determine what the guests will drink, how to transport the drinks to the location, locate a serving area, and find someone to serve the patrons and refresh supplies as they become diminished. If the drinks run low, someone must restock the items, make sure they are chilled, and provide the accompanying products for which to serve them.
Beyond the obvious frustrations of anticipating the needs and wants of the patrons, finding the space to place the serving area, and securing a party to serve, restock, and refill products, there is also the concern associated with paying for drinks with a risky waitress or bartender. Today, identity theft is rampant. Too often patrons have their credit card numbers stolen or lost.
There are also issues at social gatherings regarding the accidental serving of alcoholic drinks to minors. At private events, such as weddings or parties, having inexperienced or unconcerned bartenders, and thus allowing everyone at the party to enjoy drinks without verifying the age of the patron, a minor can easily be mistakenly served.
Ideally, patrons of any of the above mentioned scenarios could benefit from having a system where they could order their own drink and pay for it without having to stand in a line. Bar owners or party hosts can also benefit from a system that they could set up and leave to dispense multiple types of drinks for extended periods, without human mistake or interaction.
Further, due to the advent of social media and sharing, people may desire to share information with each other regarding the types of drinks they are ordering.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a portable device, capable for mixing and dispensing a variety of drinks without the need for human intervention. This device would ideally communicate wirelessly, with a computer/phone application or server to utilize intelligent logic to suggest drinks, among other benefits that will be apparent from the detailed description below.